As I step through the small South Asian grocery stores along Edmonton’s 34th Avenue, I’m struck by something that wasn’t here a month ago: private security guards stationed at entrances, their presence a silent acknowledgment of a growing crisis.
“We never needed this before,” says Gurpreet Singh, whose family has operated their small grocery for eight years. “But after what happened to Sharma’s place down the street? We can’t take chances.”
What happened at Sharma’s — an early morning arson attack that gutted the interior of a once-thriving restaurant — is part of a disturbing pattern emerging across Edmonton. Police confirmed last week that extortion attempts targeting South Asian businesses have surged again after a brief lull earlier this year.
Edmonton Police Service reported yesterday that they’ve documented 14 cases since May where South Asian business owners received threatening messages demanding “protection money,” followed by property damage or arson when they refused to pay. The pattern follows almost identical tactics to those seen in a cluster of cases last December.
“These aren’t random incidents,” says EPS Detective Sanjay Patel, who heads the task force investigating the extortion ring. “The perpetrators are specifically targeting South Asian-owned businesses, particularly restaurants, convenience stores, and trucking companies with ties to India and Pakistan.”
In each case, business owners first receive text messages demanding between $5,000 and $20,000, typically with references to “guaranteeing safety” for their establishments. The messages often include personal details about the owners’ families or their movements, suggesting surveillance.
Raj Dhaliwal, president of the Edmonton South Asian Business Association, tells me the impact goes far beyond property damage. “These are immigrants who came to Canada for a better life, who built these businesses through years of 16-hour days. The psychological damage is immense.”
The Alberta government announced yesterday a $1.2 million emergency fund to help affected businesses with security upgrades, including cameras and alarm systems. Public Safety Minister Kevin Greene called the situation “intolerable” at a press conference held at City Hall.
“When new Canadians who contribute to our economy face targeted violence, that’s not just a policing issue — it’s an assault on Alberta’s values,” Greene said.
What’s particularly troubling to investigators is how the extortion pattern mirrors similar schemes seen in British Columbia and Ontario over the past year. The RCMP confirmed in June that they believe some cases may be connected to international organized crime networks with ties to Punjab, though they’ve been careful not to paint with too broad a brush.
Community leader Harjinder Kaur, who operates a cultural center in Mill Woods, says the extortion attempts are having ripple effects throughout Edmonton’s South Asian community of roughly 85,000 people.
“Families are afraid. Some are considering moving away from areas with concentrations of South Asian businesses,” Kaur explains as we sit in her office. “There’s also tension because some victims feel certain elements within the community know who’s behind this.”
The psychological trauma is evident in my conversations with business owners. Many declined to be named for this article, citing fears of retaliation. One restaurant owner who experienced an attempted arson last month showed me his phone — he now sleeps with it under his pillow, constantly checking security camera feeds from his business.
“I came to Canada 12 years ago with nothing,” he says, requesting anonymity. “Built this place from scratch. Now I jump at every noise outside my home. This isn’t the Canada I thought I was coming to.”
Edmonton Police Chief James Wilson has promised additional patrols in affected areas and announced the creation of a dedicated hotline for business owners to report threats without going through regular channels — an acknowledgment that some victims might not trust traditional policing.
Statistics Canada data released in May shows hate crimes against South Asian Canadians increased 28% nationwide last year. While these extortion attempts aren’t classified as hate crimes, community advocates suggest they exploit existing vulnerabilities within immigrant communities.
“Many of these business owners come from countries where police corruption is common,” explains sociology professor Dr. Anita Singh from the University of Alberta. “There’s often reluctance to fully engage with authorities, which these criminals exploit.”
Some community members have taken matters into their own hands. A volunteer patrol group formed last month now conducts nightly drive-bys of South Asian businesses in southeast Edmonton. They don’t confront suspicious individuals but document activity and maintain a visible presence.
City Councillor Amarjeet Sohi, himself a South Asian immigrant, has been working to coordinate the municipal response. “We’re looking at expediting permits for security measures and working with police on improved response times,” Sohi tells me during a community meeting at a local gurdwara.
For business owners like Gurpreet Singh, the cost of security is yet another financial burden during already challenging economic times.
“I’m paying $4,000 a month for that guard,” he says, gesturing toward the man standing by his store entrance. “That’s money that was supposed to go toward my daughter’s university fund. But what choice do I have?”
Edmonton’s South Asian business community remains resilient despite the threats. At a packed community meeting last Sunday, business owners shared security tips and formed a mutual aid network to help those who’ve been targeted.
As Detective Patel puts it: “These criminals are betting on fear and isolation to make their extortion work. The community’s response — coming together, supporting each other — that’s what will ultimately defeat them.”
Meanwhile, police are urging business owners to report all suspicious activity immediately and to install security cameras if possible. The Edmonton Police Service has made the investigation a top priority, but arrests have been few so far.
As I leave Singh’s store, he points to a newly installed camera system. “This is the Canada I believe in,” he says with determined optimism. “We face problems together, we solve them together. These criminals don’t understand that.”
